Evidentiary hearings on a battery patent dispute between South Korean battery majors LG Chem Ltd. and SK Innovation Co. will be held virtually on Dec. 10-11, according to industry sources on Thursday.

In September last year, LG Chem filed a lawsuit with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) against SK Innovation over alleged patent infringements, claiming that SK Innovation makes unfair profits by infringing on its three U.S. patents for safety reinforced separators and one for anode.

The ITC reached an unusual decision to hear out videoconference testimonies from the rivaling parties to speed up the hearing process amid virus threats.

Before the hearings, LG Chem has offered to withdraw some of its claims to the ITC to focus on the most urgent and important issues. Along with the lawsuits, it sought injunction to stop SK Innovation from shipping battery materials and components to its factory in the U.S.

On top of this case, LG Chem and SK Innovation have been embroiled in various other legal battles at home and abroad.

In April last year, LG Chem filed a lawsuit against SK Innovation with the ITC and federal court in Delaware, accusing the rival of stealing core battery technologies by deliberately and systematically hiring former LG employees. The U.S. trade panel preliminarily ruled in favor of LG Chem on its suit against SK Innovation in February this year, and the final ruling from the ITC will come out later this month.

SK innovation also countersued LG Chem in Korea in June last year, claiming damages for defamation. It then went to the ITC three months later, arguing patent infringement by LG Chem and LG Chem Michigan. The Seoul court sided with LG Chem, and the ITC review is still underway.

LG Chem shares rose 1.43 percent to close Thursday at 637,000 won in Seoul, while SK Innovation shares fell 1.05 percent to end at 141,000 won.

By Pulse

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